Holmes Scholars Program

Holmes Scholars Program

The mission of the Holmes Scholars Program is to create a professoriate and education leadership pipeline that is representative of the varied student body in America’s schools, and to elevate and empower graduate students whose academic interests prioritize ensuring fairness, belonging, and equal opportunity in education for all.

To achieve its mission, the Holmes Program provides mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities to graduate students from Colleges and Schools of Education to enrich their scholarly experience. The program supports individuals whose scholarship aligns with the program’s mission.

  • Connect with peers in the School of Education
  • Engagement with IU School of Education faculty in regular mentoring meetings
  • Membership in a national network of peers with access to dedicated online social networks.
  • Mentoring opportunities by Holmes Scholar alumni currently in academia and other leadership positions.
  • Opportunities to present their research at the AACTE Annual Meeting.
  • Dedicated mentoring programs at the AACTE Annual Meeting.
  • A job fair at the AACTE Annual Meeting and access to position announcements through the year.
  • Annual Holmes Scholars Summer Policy Institute in Washington, DC, including participation in AACTE’s Day on the Hill and networking events associated with the AACTE State Leaders Institute.
  • Attend the AACTE Holmes Scholars® Dissertation Retreat and Research Symposium
  • Leadership and professional development opportunities at the school level, campus level, and national level, such as participation in conference presentations and policy/advocacy training

  • Two-to three-year commitment to the IU AACTE Holmes Scholars® program
  • Attendance to monthly IU AACTE Holmes Scholars® program meetings & sponsored events
  • Engagement in collaborative research with annual refereed publication and presentation deliverables
  • Excellent academic standing in your program
  • Collaboration with School of Education faculty, community partners, and other university faculty
  • Participation in/facilitation of community-engaged projects with the IU School of Education Office of Advocacy and Belonging
  • Engagement in your specific professional organizations both locally and nationally
  • Attendance at the AACTE National Conference

Contact Us

If you would like more information, please contact Dr. Carl Darnell by email at darnellc@iu.edu.

Apply now

Andrea Lopez

Andrea Lopez

Andrea is a first-year school psychology PhD student from Madison, WI. She received her undergraduate majors in Psychology (B.A.) and Brain and Cognitive Science (B.S.) at University of Rochester. She was most recently living in Washington, DC working at the Center for Autism where she supported the development and implementation of a school-based executive function intervention for autistic youth.

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Program History

The Holmes Scholars Program was established in 1991 by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education to support doctoral students enrolled in education programs. Approximately 700 Scholars now hold positions as tenured faculty and university administrators since the inception of the program.

The goal of the program is to provide mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities to Scholars, who will serve as outstanding candidates for future faculty and leadership positions.